Experimental Dole Whips

Hi friends!

Today I'm going to talk about the magic of Dole Whips and trying to create them at home. I had the GENIUS idea to eat a Dole Whip while watching The Wonderful World of Disney. Hold your applause.

The glorious Dole Whip - even if you haven't been to Disney, you've probably heard about them.

It is the holy grail of Disney desserts.

Even my dad thinks so.

I needed to have this treat at home just about as much as I needed oxygen. Maybe even more. 

Unfortunately, I live 1,140 miles from the Disneyland and 1,410 miles from Walt Disney World. Even at the parks, they're hard to come by. At Disneyland, you need to head to the Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland, where the Tiki Juice Bar is located. Use the inside line and see the show! If you’re in Walt Disney World, you will want to head to Aloha Isle in Adventureland or Captain Cook’s at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. Curse Texas and the lack of Disney Parks with Dole Whips! Just kidding. God bless Texas.

I had to get creative. So myself and a very compliant husband who seems to love me and sometimes go with me on a Disney whim or two went on an adventure. He's such a gem. I love him dearly.

Here is the recipe we used:

• 4 cups of small chunks of frozen pineapple
• 1 cup of low fat coconut milk (or milk of choice)

We just blended it on up and served it.

First try:

To sum it up quickly and precisely, FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL.

It was really bad processed pineapple soup.

We decided to try this a few weeks ago on very short notice. We didn't have a pineapple. I sent Noah to the store to get one. Of course they were out, so we settled for canned pineapple chunks. I stuck them in the freezer for about two hours before our attempt at Dole Whip making. We also used unsweetened coconut milk.

Bottom line - this was not good. And Noah ate it anyway because he didn't want to hurt my feelings.

Second try:

SO MUCH BETTER. We used the same recipe, but tweaked it a bit.

• 4 cups FRESH cut pineapple, frozen overnight. This really seemed to be the trick. You have to use fresh pineapple and make sure it freezes solid to get a decent texture.
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla flavored coconut milk
• 1/2 cup sugar because I can't control myself. Leave out the sugar if you are a health nut.
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon to add tartness

This time I used a food processor and it had a better consistency. I put the mixture in a gallon zip loc bag and stuck it in the freezer for about 25 minutes. I cut a corner off of the bag and tried to mimic soft serve style swirls. It wasn't pretty but it did the job. 

I didn't try it, but if you're more of a Dole Whip Float fan, you could serve over Dole pineapple juice.

My family seemed to enjoy it! I didn't get a picture because they didn't last long. Just note that the texture of this is more like a sorbet than a soft serve, but it had a good flavor.

At the end of the day, I'd make this again. It satisfied my Dole Whip craving without buying a plane ticket, so I'm putting it in the win column. On the other hand, it also wasn't near as good as you can get in the parks. I guess that's why I travel half way across the country to enjoy it!

Everything just tastes better at Disney.

Let me know if you try to make a Disney dessert at home! I'd love to try some more!

Have a Zippity Doo Dah Day!

The Hotel Situation at Disneyland Resort

Hi friends!

Today I'm going to be talking about hotels at and around Disneyland. I'll tell you about where I stayed and why I would recommend that location.

The biggest difference between DLR (Disneyland Resort) and WDW (Walt Disney World) to me was the absence of the "Disney Bubble". When I say Disney Bubble, many people are confused about what I mean. I'll explain - when most people go to WDW, they elect to stay on Disney property. There is always an exception to that rule, but I'm speaking generally. There are many reasons to stay on property at WDW: benefits include Extra Magic Hours (when the parks are open to only WDW hotel guests), access to Disney's Dining Plan, Magical Express, and earlier Fastpass+ reservations than those staying off property. When staying on property, you are also immersed in Disney. This is partly due to the sheer size of the WDW property. Walt Disney World is 40 square miles. The size of San Francisco. Twice the size of Manhattan island. Yes, you read that right. 

This is a pro or con depending on preference. Personally, I LOVE THE DISNEY BUBBLE. It's easy and convenient. I can be driven into WDW property right to my hotel and eat every meal on property between restaurants at the Parks, resorts, and Disney Springs. I could see a movie, watch a live Cirque du Soleil performance, shop, play golf, and 100 other things - not to mention go to 4 theme parks and 2 water parks. I could have all my needs met (read: spend all my money) without ever leaving Walt Disney World.

At Disneyland Resort, there is no bubble. I could literally be standing at the front entrance to either park and walk to a McDonald's within 5 minutes.

The lack of Disney bubble is a perk for some who can only take so much of the Mouse, and to be fair, can potentially be lighter on the wallet. You can eat at familiar restaurants, stay in familiar hotel chains, and still enjoy the Parks without feeling like you are at a disadvantage in park touring compared to resort guests. Fastpass doesn't help or hurt you based on lodging like it does at WDW. You could potentially miss an Extra Magic Hour, but with proper park touring, this won't hurt you.
Now that the background is out of the way, let's talk hotels.

On Property:

The Grand Californian:

This is the crown jewel of Disneyland Resort hotels. It can be described as very expensive, very beautiful, and very convenient. These rooms run from $379 for a standard view up to $1,800 for a 3 bedroom suite per night. The Mandara Spa is on sight. Napa Rose is also located in the hotel for those who enjoy fine dining. Character dining is available in Storytellers Cafe. This hotel also has an entrance into Disney's California Adventure into the Grizzly Peak area of the park that can be used by guests of any Disney resort. All on property hotels are considered walking distance to the Parks and Downtown Disney, but this hotel boasts the shortest walk.

The Disneyland Hotel:

This hotel ranks 2nd in both luxury and price in the Disneyland Resort hotels. It is the oldest hotel, but also the most recently renovated. The price ranges are $329 for a city view to $579 for a theme park view per night. You can also spring for a 3 bedroom suite for $1,250 per night. It houses Trader Sams, a popular bar, Steakhouse 55 for a nice meal, and character dining in Goofy's Kitchen. Disneyland hotel is within walking distance to the parks and Downtown Disney.

Paradise Pier Hotel:

This is the last hotel that is within the Disneyland Resort. It is the least flashy, but still a beautiful hotel. Rooms run from $259 - $982 per night depending on the season and type of room. Character dining can be enjoyed in Disney's PCH Grill. This hotel boasts the longest walk to Disney's amenities: a 5-10 minute walk to Downtown Disney and a 14 or so minute walk to the Park entrances.

All on property guests can use their room keys to charge dining and shopping within the resort to their accounts. Be aware that this will not work in some restaurants in Downtown Disney as they are 3rd party vendors. Self parking at all resorts are $17 per day and valet is $25 per day. DVC members can self park for free.

Some Disney folks might think that staying off property when visiting any Disney destination is a cardinal sin. If fact, even I think that about WDW. I believe you miss out on value. But Disneyland is different. You can save BOATLOADS of money by staying off property without sacrificing value.

Here's how:

Good Neighbor Hotels:

These are hotels that have paid Disney a marketing fee to display the Good Neighbor designation. They sell full priced tickets in their lobbies. They are not required to provide a free shuttle to the Parks, although some do. Note that not all Good Neighbor hotels are within walking distance to the Parks. Good Neighbor hotels guests who purchase a 3 day or longer ticket can use Magic Morning services, an hour before the designated park opens.

Here is the link to all of the Good Neighbor hotels: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/hotels/good-neighbor/

I stayed in a Good Neighbor hotel on my trip. I'll talk more about this in just a moment.

Off Property:

There are TONS of hotels in the area. Some might offer shuttles, or you can drive and park.I think everyone should find a hotel that fits your needs like I did. 

When dad and I went to Disneyland, we stayed at the Hampton Inn and Suites on Harbor Blvd. 

I would strongly recommend this hotel for a few reasons:

1. If you're a Hilton member, you can use your points to assist in hotel room costs

2. Located within walking distance to multiple restaurants in the area and to the parks if you just really felt like walking there

3. Free breakfast that saves you money as well as time in the Parks

4. The bus shuttle service was EXCELLENT. Dad and I payed $8 per person for 2 day passes ($5 for 1 day). This is cheaper than parking for one day at the Parks. We were dropped off in the shuttle parking area, only about a 2-3 minute walk to the security check point. THIS SHUTTLE WAS ON TIME EVERY TIME. And at Disneyland, time is money.

We shared the shuttle with Hilton Garden and Embassy Suites  and it was located in the common parking lot. It arrived at the hotel a few minutes before and left promptly on the 15 and 45 of the hour and picked up at the shuttle area on the hour and half hour. I'd suggest being early for your shuttle in the morning or you'll miss the first shuttle like I did, but another shuttle was there and on the road 5 minutes later. I'd stay at this hotel again just to use the shuttle.

The bottom line is that no matter where you stay, you're still going to the Happiest Place on Earth and that's what really matters!

Let me know in the comments where you stayed as well as your thoughts and questions!

Have a Zippity Doo Da Day!

References include the official Disneyland website and The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2016 by Bob Sehlinger, Seth Kubersky, Len Testa, and Guy Selga.